A Bright Idea to Bring More Tourist Dollars Into County
April 17, 2006
by Dylan Skriloff

Rockland County is becoming a bigger tourist destination every year, County Director of Tourism Heather Duke says.

And a recent agreement between her Department and the RBA Hospitality and Tourism Alliance to represent Rockland at regional trade shows, is only adding to the potential.

The Department of Tourism and several member companies of the RBA's Hospitality and Tourism Alliance were represented at a trade show in York, PA on March 29. Maria Rodd of Casablanca Event Planning led the contingent at the event, and reported the County landed five leads that could potentially bring bus tours into Rockland.

"Rockland is an ideal day trip. Getting tourists to stay overnight is the challenge and that's where the bus tours can really help," she said. The five familiarization tours could bring as many as 200 tour leaders to the County, which in turn could lead to thousands of actual tourists spending their time and money in the County. What they will see will depend on what kind of tour they are interested in leading, Duke said.

"If they are interested in a shopping tour they can look through the Antique shops and boutiques in Nyack, then drive over to the Palisades Center Mall and then up to Woodbury Commons. That alone would be a two-day trip," she said. Other tourist destinations in the County include Harriman State Park and other parks, the historic Stony Point Battlefield and DeWitt House in Tappan, and many more.

The York, PA show was the first of several trade shows and "blitzes" lined up for the County and participating companies. The Best Western of Nyack, Comfort Inn and Suites of Nanuet, Candlewood Suites of Nanuet, Palisades Center Mall, Holiday Inn of Orangeburg, New York Country Club, Matterhorn Nursery were all represented at the Rockland booth display in York. Over 20 bus companies and 700-800 tour leaders walked the show. Rockland's booth handed out approximately 430 literature packages.

Duke, who has been Director of Tourism for over 12 years, said she had long been interested in forming an alliance with the RBA to increase Rockland's growing tourist trade. According to estimates from the Department of Labor and her own office, the County brought in roughly $300 million revenue from the tourist trade last year.

She and RBA Vice President of Development, Roger Scheiber, both were encouraged by the results of the Pennsylvania Trade Show.

"We're thrilled that this public-private Alliance has taken on a life of itself. The potential for real, actionable gains for tourism is bright," Scheiber said.

Kristen Stavisky, Director of Marketing and Special Events at Matterhorn Nurseries, was also enthused.

"I think its great for us to have the exposure and we did get quite a few leads. It's a very positive thing to have people coming to Rockland County," she said.

Matterhorn features 12 acres of display gardens on a total property of 38 acres, and a shopping village with a variety of shops. Stavisky said the gardens are fairly new but tours are becoming very popular at the Nursery.

The next trek Rodd will undertake on behalf of participating companies and the County is a bus blitz in Ontario. A blitz is the opposite of a trade show, it is when Counties and organizations go to bus tour companies and visit them directly. There will be 15 other counties and organizations taking part in the blitz. The RBA learned of the opportunity through Destinations New York tourism. Later events include a blitz in MA-RI, a Travel Expo in Lake George and a New York State blitz.

Rodd is looking for RBA partners to commit to representation for the upcoming blitzes and trade shows. As of April 13 the Rockland County Department of Tourism, the Best Western of Nyack, Comfort Inn of Nanuet and Matterhorn Nurseries are committed for all upcoming shows.

The total cost of the tourism trade-show and blitz project is approximately $16,945. About half the sum will be paid by the Rockland Department of Tourism, and the rest by RBA participants, who contribute $250 per show for representation. Any surplus will be used for future shows.

The RBA's Hospitality and Tourism Alliance is a group of over 30 RBA companies chaired by Gregory Parseghian of the Best Western in Nyack. The mission of the Alliance, formed by the RBA this spring, is to identify and create tourism opportunities to enhance economic growth and development in Rockland County.

"With representation at trade shows Rockland County's historical sites, natural beauty, hotels, restaurants and activities will gain regional spotlight," Parseghian said. "It will help bring visitors to the County. We expect to attract senior groups and people interested in sightseeing the whole area, not just Rockland."

Tsilla Flint, Director of Sales for Comfort Inn, had the idea for a Rockland presence at the trade shows. She attended a show last year to promote her own hotel and though she made important contacts, it wasn't very economical.

"I realized it would make more sense for several members to pool their resources together and represent the interests of the entire County as well as their own," she said.

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